Houseware Dishwashing Bowl

ABSTRACT

Houseware Dishwashing Bowl is a circular shaped bowl capable of storing several ounces of liquid for use in cleaning dishes or completing other household chores. Resting on top of the bowl or resting inside the bowl, a wire rack provides elevated storage for sponges, while also allowing air to freely circulate around the sponge.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) fromU.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/141,237 filed Mar. 31,2015, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “Houseware DishwashingBowl,” which is incorporated herein by reference as though the same wereset forth in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of household accessories,and more specifically to the field of kitchen utility bowls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art has put forth several designs for kitchen utility bowls.Among these are:

US Patent 2013/0313263 to Nader Kuroush Parsia describes a self drainingsalad bowl including a bowl member, a cover member and a receptaclemember. When salads are placed in the bowl, a convex dome at the base ofthe bowl member helps elevate the salad to separate fluids, and gravityfurther assists releasing all liquids to drip down towards the base ofthe bowl where several draining holes are situated. All excess liquidsfrom salads drain onto a receptacle member placed under the bowl, andthe contents in the bowl stay crispy and edible. This unique salad bowlmaintains a salad's original fresh and delicious taste. The drainedliquid in the receptacle is saved, reused or disposed. The bowl iscovered and kept in the refrigerator to maintain the salad fresh forlonger periods of time.

US Patent 2013/0233868 to Alon Benishai describes a device for washingand draining food that includes a base portion, a draining dam and anoptional handle. Draining dam is coupled to wall of base and includes aplurality of holes therein for draining liquid. Draining dam includes afront portion and a lip portion, the front portion forming a section ofthe base and the lip portion enclosing a portion of the internal bowlspace to trap food when device is tipped to drain liquid. This deviceincludes a handle coupled to the base. In use, a user places produce orother food to be drained, washed or soaked into device, adds water tothe device, then tips the device to drain off liquid through holes indraining dam. Food is trapped in the draining dam as user tips device,allowing food to remain in the device while liquid is drained offthrough holes.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,347,903 to Virginia de Raddo describes a colander andbowl set including a bowl having at least one indicator and a colandercomprising a plurality of holes. The colander is insertable into thebowl and removably attachable to the bowl. The at least one indicator isa calibrated guide positioned at a height of a maximum amount of waterwhich the colander and bowl set holds, accounting for displacement ofwater by the colander and by a particular food.

None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a receptacleconfigured expressly to provide individuals with a safe and sanitarymeans of using, storing and thoroughly drying household cleaningsponges.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a practicalway in which to utilize liquid cleaning agents for use with the spongewhen completing various cleaning tasks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a prototypical top down view of the present invention showingthe wire drying rack fitted midway down within the interiorcircumference of the stainless steel bowl.

FIG. 2 is a prototypical top down view showing a stainless steel bowlwith the wire drying rack removed.

FIG. 3 is a prototypical top down view of the present invention showingthe wire drying rack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Household chores are a basic fact of daily life. Whether pushing avacuum cleaner to remove dirt from carpet, swirling a feather dusterover tabletops and along shelves to absorb dust accumulation, ormeticulously wiping windows and mirrors to a pristine shine, a home thatis spotlessly clean is a goal for which residents strive wheneverpossible. Perhaps the greatest cleaning challenges are encountered whentackling one of the busiest rooms in the house, the kitchen. Theepicenter of a plethora of activities ranging from the preparation andeating of meals to even homework sessions at the kitchen table, it is nowonder that the sheer volume of traffic in and out of the kitchen canleave behind a daunting mess. Grease and sauce splatters on the stovetop, sticky beverage spills drying on counters and a veritable mountainof crusty dishes rising from the sink, all practically scream to becleaned as soon as possible.

To battle kitchen grime, many individuals employ foam rubber sponges,along with cleaning agents and dishwashing liquid, to help them clean inan expedient manner. These absorbent sponges are very effective inremoving the toughest of stains, and most people use their spongesrepeatedly, wringing them out and setting them on a countertop to dry.Storing a sponge in such a manner can mean that the sponge sits in apool of water and never fully airs out or dries. The moist surface ofthe sponge quickly become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria andgerms and, in many cases, mold and mildew can thrive and grow. Unawarethat the sponge is contaminated, an unsuspecting homemaker uses thesponge to wash dishes or perform other cleaning chores, in turnspreading the harmful agents accumulated on the sponge throughout thehome and putting family members at risk of exposure to thesecontaminants

The present invention, hereinafter referred to as the HousewareDishwashing Bowl, is a receptacle configured expressly to provideindividuals with a safe and sanitary means of using, storing andthoroughly drying household cleaning sponges when not in use. TheHouseware Dishwashing Bowl provides a practical way in which to utilizeliquid cleaning agents for use with the sponge when completing variouscleaning tasks. The present invention is comprised of two functionalcomponents, a bowl container 20 and a wire drying rack 30.

A sleek, stainless steel receptacle bowl 20 sized appropriately toconveniently rest on any countertop, the Houseware Dishwashing Bowl is acircular shaped bowl 20 measuring approximately three inches in height.The bottom 22 of the bowl measures approximately one and one half inchesin diameter and the top 24 of the bowl measures approximately six inchesin diameter. The Houseware Dishwashing Bowl 10 is an open receptaclewhich is capable of storing several ounces of liquid for use in cleaningdishes or completing other household chores.

Encompassing the top portion of the Houseware Dishwashing Bowl is aremovable wire rack that comfortably rests over or inside the bowl, notshown. The wire rack 30 provides elevated storage for sponges, whilealso allowing air to freely circulate around the sponge. An alternateremovable wire rack 30 is configured to reside in the interior portionof the bowl, providing a recessed storage place for the sponge so it isout of sight while it dries on the rack, as seen in FIG. 1. Wire rack 30additionally comprises feet 34 to elevate the rack and prevent it fromcoming into contact with any surface. FIG. 3 shows the rack with fourfeet, although any number of feet equal to or greater than three isuseful.

Use of the Houseware Dishwashing Bowl is very simple and straightforward. Prior to washing dishes or performing other cleaning tasks, theuser fills the Houseware Dishwashing Bowl with hot soapy water or othercleaning solutions, dipping their household sponge directly within thesoapy water to saturate the sponge with the cleaning agent. The userthen utilizes the sponge to wash dishes, clean countertops or performother household cleaning chores, simply rinsing and saturating thesponge with soapy water as needed during use.

When the cleaning chore is complete, the user discards the soapy waterfrom the Houseware Dishwashing Bowl, rinses the bowl clean and appliesthe removable draining rack atop or within the bowl. The user rinses theused sponge clean and squeezes excess water from the sponge into thesink. The user places the sponge directly atop the Houseware DishwashingBowl's draining wire rack, allowing the sponge to dry as it is stored.With air freely circulating throughout the sponge, the sponge driesthoroughly, thwarting the growth of germs, bacteria and other harmfulagents. The process described above is repeated each time the userwishes to clean with the sponge. The Houseware Dishwashing Bowl is leftin place on a kitchen countertop or utility sink when unused.

The Houseware Dishwashing Bowl provides consumers with a sanitary meansof keeping dishes, countertops, and food areas clean. A sleek storagereceptacle comprising a detachable drying rack configured expressly forsponges, using the present invention provides a sanitary storage forthese ubiquitous cleaning accessories. Keeping a sponge fresh and dry,the Houseware Dishwashing Bowl ensures that a cleaner has a sterile anduncontaminated cleaning tool each time they reach for a sponge.Containing an ample receptacle for liquid detergents or other householdcleaners, the Houseware Dishwashing Bowl functions as a reliable toolfor many household cleaning tasks. A handy means of keeping the kitchenclean, the Houseware Dishwashing Bowl is highly effective for use inbathrooms, bedrooms, laundry rooms, or any other area of the home wherecleaning is needed. Durably constructed, the Houseware Dishwashing Bowlwill withstand years of continued use, with ease.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and variousmodifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skillin the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings and the appended claims.

1. A receptacle configured expressly to provide individuals with a safeand sanitary means of utilizing, storing and thoroughly drying householdcleaning sponges, comprising: a circular bowl container and a wiredrying rack.
 2. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein the wire drying rackcomprises a removable wire rack having a diameter larger than the bowlso the rack rests over the bowl.
 3. The receptacle of claim 1 whereinthe wire drying rack comprises a removable drying rack having a diametersmaller than the bowl so the rack will reside in the interior portion ofthe bowl.
 4. The receptacle of claim 2, wherein the receptacle is astainless steel bowl measuring approximately three inches in height, thebottom of the bowl measures approximately one and one half inches indiameter and the top of the bowl measures approximately six inches indiameter.
 5. The receptacle of claim 3, wherein the receptacle is astainless steel bowl measuring approximately three inches in height, thebottom of the bowl measures approximately one and one half inches indiameter and the top of the bowl measures approximately six inches indiameter.
 6. The receptacle of claim 2, wherein the wire rackadditionally comprises a plurality of feet to elevate the rack andprevent it from coming into contact with any surface.
 7. The receptacleof claim 3, wherein the wire rack additionally comprises a plurality offeet to elevate the rack and prevent it from coming into contact withany surface.